SKH-1c-2006-02 Spiked Head

Description

Second spiked head documented for the 2006 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent, this die clash variety was cataloged by Cuds on Coins on January 13, 2017, joining a modest but growing sequence for a date approaching the end of the Memorial reverse era. The 2006-P cent was produced just two years before the Memorial design's final curtain in 2008, and its spiked heads carry the same architectural transfer patterns that characterized die clashes throughout the nearly five-decade Memorial Cent production run. During a planchet feed failure, the reverse die — bearing the Lincoln Memorial with its stately columns and broad steps — contacts the obverse die, impressing design elements that appear as a raised spike on subsequently struck coins. The specific spike characteristics for this -02 entry differ from the -01 variety in position and angle, confirming that two distinct die pairs experienced clash events during the 2006-P production year. Philadelphia's cent output in 2006 exceeded 4 billion pieces, requiring extensive die pair usage and ensuring that statistical opportunities for die clash events were abundant. The relatively small number of documented spiked heads for 2006-P — five entries to date — compared to peak years like 1995 and 1999 may reflect either lower actual clash frequency or simply less collector attention directed at mid-2000s dates. Each confirmed variety adds to the comprehensive record of die clash activity across the Memorial Cent series, contributing data that helps researchers understand how production volumes, press speeds, and die management practices influenced clash rates over time.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Sandy Peters
• Cross reference: none. 01/13/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References